E3 2004: Burnout 3: Hands-on

At Electronic Arts' pre-E3 event, IGN was able to get its hands on the pre-alpha build of Burnout 3, the keystone game in the three-title series thanks to its all-out excellence on all fronts. From what we can tell at this point, there is very little wrong with this game, and everything right with it.

The basic gist behind the Burnout series is easy to grasp: Grab the controls, slam on the accelerator and try to swerve as close to coming traffic as you can. Then, try and stop yourself from playing it for the next seven hours. Criterion Studios has connected with EA, the pre-eminent publisher in the business this time around, so we can rest assured this arcade racer will get the marketing support it needs to reach the popularity it should have already reached all along.

This version has more of everything -- more cars to drive, more crash modes, bigger, burlier, and high-flying crashes, more junctions, multiplayer modes, and online modes for PS2. The game is already visually amazing. Criterion is still able to squeeze an immense amount of detail and super looking car models onto the screen simultaneously, while running at an unflinching 60 FPS. The cars now break apart into more parts, bits, and fiery charred wrecks than ever before; and, after a crash, glass is shattered, metal twists, bends, and breaks into hundreds of randomly flying bits, burning tires fill the screen with smoke, and honestly, it's an daunting scene of brilliant destructiveness if we've ever seen it.

The particle system reaches new heights -- or, OK, ZOE 2 heights -- of massive, onscreen coverage. You'll see the giant sparks fly far, brightly, and often. The higher level of reflections, shining metal, realtime lighting, and perfect presentation of all things mentioned cumulate into a breathtaking and gorgeous game that's like a hyper psychotic Gran Turismo 3 at an all-night Fourth of July party.

The game is all about giving you more of everything. There are about 70 cars now, which is triple the amount Burnout 2 had; there are 40 tracks (compared to 32 stages from the second game); many more modes of play, and on the road, there are more kinds of vehicles to slam into, such as more kinds of trucks (log trucks, barrel trucks, you get the picture, trucks with collateral potential), a suite of busses, and dozens of others. Plus, there is a two-player split-screen ability.

The cop cars are gone from this version, and there are no major licensed cars, but that's due to the fact that Criterion lets you utterly destroy each and every one. NO licensor would let you willingly do that to a Ferrari, Porsche or the like. They should, but we're not quite there yet.

Mode wise, there are numerous options; always a good start. In Racing, there is Championship (the main mode) and Elimination (last one standing), plus Fastest Lap (who can get the fastest lap while using Infinite Boost). In the Crash realm, there are tons of what Criterion likes to call one-offs, little single challenges. And now, the team has built out its junctions (or Crash Courses) to 45 areas.

Basically, we'll give you an update on every possible inch of this game as we get closer to its September launch on Xbox and PS2 (including the technical specs, music, online lobbies and challenges, and more). Stick around.